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Inola Aluminum Smelter

A foreign-owned aluminum smelter, emergency moratoriums and a citizen ballot fight at the Port of Inola.

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Latest in this investigation · Oct 23, 2026

Inola Scheduled a Vote on the Smelter. Tulsa Ports Voted to Sue First.

A cattle rancher two miles from the site is looking for somewhere else to live. Inola set an April 7, 2027 vote on banning the $4 billion smelter. On Oct. 15, Tulsa Ports voted to sue the town.

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Locked meetings, a citizen petition and a fight over the Port of Inola.

This case file collects every story, filing and records request in the investigation.

Every story in this investigation

Government Transparency

Citizens File 74-Page Grand Jury Petition Naming Claremore and Inola Officials Over Secret Data Center and Smelter Deals

A Rogers County citizen filed a sweeping grand jury petition naming the mayors of Claremore and Inola, nine councilors, and the county commissioners over secret NDA deals, walking-quorum emails, and a $65,000 records fee demand.

Jul 8, 2026 · 5 min read

Government Transparency

A Trump Letter, a Pentagon General, and 425 Tons of Fluoride: Inside Inola's 6-Hour Smelter Showdown

The Pentagon sent a general. The DOE sent an assistant secretary. Trump sent a letter. The residents of Inola sent them all home and voted unanimously at midnight to freeze the smelter.

Jul 2, 2026 · 9 min read

Government Transparency

Inola Passes Emergency Moratorium on Smelter as Residents Launch Ballot Initiative

Inola's town council passed a 60-day moratorium freezing all smelter permits. Tulsa Ports fired back calling it a "regulatory taking." Now residents are collecting signatures to put the smelter's fate to a public vote.

Jul 2, 2026 · 7 min read

Government Transparency

Oklahoma's $4 Billion Foreign-Owned Smelter Could Double Your Power Bill and Poison Your Cattle

A $4B aluminum smelter backed by the UAE government is headed for rural Inola, Oklahoma. Residents were kept in the dark by NDAs while officials approved $1.3 billion in new power capacity that could hike electric bills 15%. Now the AG is suing to stop it.

Jul 2, 2026 · 8 min read

Inola Police Officer Blocks Citizens From Public Meeting, Cites Fake Authority

A 3-month rookie officer claims he can enforce fire codes he has no jurisdiction over, blocking citizens from an open public meeting. Then things get physical. Watch what happens next.

Jun 15, 2026 · 2 min read

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Inola Aluminum Smelter

Inola Scheduled a Vote on the Smelter. Tulsa Ports Voted to Sue First.

Citizens File 74-Page Grand Jury Petition Naming Claremore and Inola Officials Over Secret Data Center and Smelter Deals

A Trump Letter, a Pentagon General, and 425 Tons of Fluoride: Inside Inola's 6-Hour Smelter Showdown

Inola Passes Emergency Moratorium on Smelter as Residents Launch Ballot Initiative

Oklahoma's $4 Billion Foreign-Owned Smelter Could Double Your Power Bill and Poison Your Cattle

Inola Police Officer Blocks Citizens From Public Meeting, Cites Fake Authority

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